I’m doing well here in South Korea. Busan is a wonderful city in so many ways, and the surrounding landscape is simply stunning. The past few days have been intense, filled with conversations and meetings with library colleagues from all over the world, but today I finally had the chance to spend some time in the beautiful Geumjeongsan National Park. The forecast suggests the weather will take a…
My time in Shanghai is already drawing to a close. It’s hard to believe how much I’ve seen and experienced in just a few days. There are so many impressions to process that I suspect it will take quite a while before everything truly sinks in, but that will have to wait. Tomorrow I’m heading to Busan, South Korea, for the next part of my journey. Today alone included a visit to the beautiful water…
Shanghai is treating me to a very different kind of adventure than I’m used to. At 35°C it’s far warmer than I would ever choose, but it’s also an incredible experience. I’ve spent time wandering through the beautiful Century Park, enjoying the birdlife and the lush vegetation there, and I’ve walked street after street simply taking in the architecture, the people, and the unique rhythm of this…
Currently sitting at Arlanda Airport, waiting for my flight and the start of an adventure that will take me to Shanghai, Busan and Seoul. For the next couple of weeks, things might be a little quieter here than usual. The main reason for the trip is the World Library and Information Congress in Busan, so libraries rather than wildlife will be at the centre of my days. That said, anyone who knows…
The Marmalade hoverfly/ Episyrphus balteatus /flyttblomfluga is one of Europe’s most remarkable little travellers. Every year, countless individuals migrate between southern and northern Europe. Many fly hundreds of metres above the ground, choosing favourable winds and even compensating for unfavourable ones to stay on course, almost certainly using an internal sun compass. For such a tiny…
In the garden: Buff-tailed bumblebee/ Bombus terrestris /mörk jordhumla, Eurasian chaffinch/ Fringilla coelebs /bofink, Eurasian blackbird/ Turdus merula /koltrast, White-lipped snail/ Cepaea hortensis /trädgårdssnäcka, and Western honey bee/ Apis mellifera /honungsbi. And then we have Blue globe thistle, Norway spruce, Oregano and Common nettle ( It burns! It burns us! ). Värmland, Sweden (2…